When the client does it themselves
A rules row can let the client perform a reserved act in their own name. The Service then sells two ways, with a professional and yourself, at two prices with two boundaries, and the order picks one.
Self-help answers one question: may the client perform a reserved act themselves, and what do they pay when they do? Some clients want to, the way an inventor may sign and file their own application. The rules row decides whether they may, and the price says what it costs.
self: true on each row the client may perform, and price.self on the Service:
grep -E 'self: |posture' rules.ts services/provisional-patent.tsrules.ts: sign: { reserved: practitioner, where: '*', self: true, rail: 'brand', position: 'Signed by a registered practitioner, or by the applicant for themselves.' },
rules.ts: file: { reserved: practitioner, where: '*', self: true, rail: 'brand', position: 'Filing for another is practice before the office.' },
services/provisional-patent.ts: price: { usd: 199, self: 79, release: 'file', within: '5d' },check reads both postures back, each with its boundary and its ledger:
npx services.dev check self The applicant may sign and file it themselves, for $79.
bounds reserved second_look, sign and file to patent attorney or agent · refused litigate
self: reserved second_look to patent attorney or agent · the applicant performs sign and file, in their own name · refused litigate
ledger +$199.00 · AI $2.10 (example) · practitioner $150.00 (rail brand) · coverage $4.00 · you $42.90
+$79.00 · AI $2.10 (example) · you $76.90 · selfprice.self makes posture an order input, 'full' unless the order says otherwise. With a professional, a practitioner from the Pool claims, clears and signs:
→ POST /matters {"service":"provisional-patent","invention":["disclosure.pdf"],"applicant":{"name":"Ada","email":"signs@example.test"},"inventors":[{"name":"Ada","email":"ada@example.com"}],"entity_size":"micro","posture":"full","max_usd":199,"key":"full"}← job_7Hq2 · waiting · on claim · $199.00 held · sign · tsk_7Hq2
# mbr_eligible, in its own session: the sheet, the claim, the clearance, the packet, and the attestation
→ GET /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/sheet · POST /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/claim · POST /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/clear · POST /attorneys/matters/job_7Hq2/approve {"checklist":["the claims read on the disclosure","every inventor is named","a reasonable inquiry was made"]}
← job_7Hq2 · delivered · $199.00 charged · posture full · rules 2026-10
record consent · applicant · consent | questions · applicant · answer | draft · ai | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · pass | sign · person · patent attorney · * · mbr_eligible | file · USPTO · accepted · rcp_7Hq2
ledger +$199.00 · AI $2.10 · practitioner $150.00 (rail brand) · you $46.90Under posture: 'self', each reserved step the rules allow becomes an ask to the client, who performs it in their own name. The practitioner's pay drops out, and price.self is charged:
→ POST /matters {"service":"provisional-patent","invention":["disclosure.pdf"],"applicant":{"name":"Ada","email":"signs@example.test"},"inventors":[{"name":"Ada","email":"ada@example.com"}],"entity_size":"micro","posture":"self","max_usd":79,"key":"self"}← job_7Hq3 · delivered · $79.00 charged · posture self · rules 2026-10
record consent · applicant · consent | questions · applicant · answer | draft · ai | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · pass | sign · applicant · sign | file · applicant · answer
ledger +$79.00 · AI $2.10 · you $76.90A reserved row without self stays reserved under either posture. Here the practitioner's second look still needs a practitioner. Talk stays facts-only, because no member adopts advice.
The Service page shows both, side by side, so the client chooses knowing what each one includes:
open http://localhost:8787/provisional-patent # the two prices and the two boundaries, side by sideWith a professional · $199 per matter, within 5 days, charged on file's receipt.
second_look: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Judgment on a draft the review still flags is the practitioner's.
sign: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Signed by a registered practitioner, or by the applicant for themselves.
file: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Filing for another is practice before the office.
litigate: never performed here · Litigation is retained directly, never ordered here.
Yourself · $79 per matter, within 5 days, charged when file is done.
second_look: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Judgment on a draft the review still flags is the practitioner's.
sign: the applicant performs it, in their own name · Signed by a registered practitioner, or by the applicant for themselves.
file: the applicant performs it, in their own name · Filing for another is practice before the office.
litigate: never performed here · Litigation is retained directly, never ordered here.| Key | What it says | Default |
|---|---|---|
self: true on a reserved row | The client may perform the act themselves, in their own name | off |
price.self | The price under posture: 'self'. It declares the posture | none: one posture |
posture on the order | 'full' or 'self' | 'full' |
| Surface | What self adds |
|---|---|
| API | posture on the order |
| CLI | posture=self on the order |
| MCP | posture on the order tool, with both prices in its description |
| SDK | posture on the typed order |
| Site | Two prices and two boundaries, and a posture picker on the order form |
| Docs | posture in manifest.json: its default, the client who acts, the steps and the price |
| App | Each self step is an ask in the customer portal |
| Code | When |
|---|---|
self_unruled | check: price.self is set, and no reserved row the Service performs allows self |
- Legal. The applicant signs and files their own provisional application, for $79 instead of $199. Provisional patent application.
- Tax. The owner files their own signed return, at the self price, on a row that allows it. Annual return.
- Sales. No reserved acts, so one posture.